Re: [MDOsprey] development
Paula Sullivan (paulas@erols.com)
Mon, 22 Nov 1999 22:51:31 -0500
Kurt Gaskill wrote:
>
> Carrol,
>
> With respect to item #1, the P G development (National Harbor), the impact
> will undoubtably be felt in reduced migrating and wintering ducks and eagles
> on and near the Potomac River adjacent to the proposed development, and will
> likely impact the resident, breeding, and migrating bird population at Dyke
> Marsh Wildlife Preserve, just across the river and may impact breeding
> attempts by Bald Eagles on the Maryland side near the proposed development.
> Its very sad and, I believe, very short-sighted. It grieves me that the laws
> designed to protect the environment we live in as well as the natural beauty
> of the Potomac River in the DC area were so easily circumvented by the very
> body which created the Dyke Marsh Preserve in the first place, the Congress.
Of course, Kurt is completely correct is his assessment of the likely
impact of National Harbor on the health of the Potomac River and the
bird and fish life it supports in its waters and on Maryland and
Virginia shores.
It is a tragedy that people will trade an irreplaceable, beautiful,
natural bay only recently returned to good health that harbors spawning
fish and breeding and migrating birds for a 534-acre resort park with
six theme areas! One theme area, according to an article in the 2/19/98
Washington Post, will feature an artificial hill that the "developer
compared to mountain resorts in Yosemite and Yellowstone National
Parks." It is a scandal that the National Capital Planning Commission
which was charged by Congress in 1985 with protecting the "federal
interest" of the Smoot Bay waterfront, including ensuring public access
to the river, has now been removed from the process.
The best hope that I can see now for stopping this disaster to be known
as National Harbor is to stop the 12-lane Woodrow Wilson Bridge from
being built. National Harbor needs that monster bridge and will
contribute greatly to the added traffic which, according to Federal
Highway Administration officers, will give the bridge a D
level-of-service during peak periods when the project is completed in
2006, and an E or F level-of-service during peak periods in 2020.
The Maryland I-295 interchange, costing $340 million, will be built as
part of a 12-lane bridge, primarily to serve National Harbor.
Friends of Dyke Marsh is a member of the Coalition for a Sensible Bridge
which promotes a 10-lane bridge which will handle 98% of projected
traffic, cost half as much as 12 lanes, and won't require the massive
interchanges that will damage the wetlands on both sides of the Potomac.
We certainly encourage others to join us.
Paula Sullivan
Alexandria, VA
paulas@erols.com